The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced Wednesday it has begun assessment and cleanup operations at seven leaking underground storage sites throughout the state with $2 million received from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The stimulus funding is designed to identify, assess and clean up federally regulated Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) sites in the state. Resources mobilized by the site assessments and cleanups include environmental consultants and laboratories, construction workers, landfill operators, trucking companies and drilling companies.

DEP Commissioner Amey Marrella said, “The allocation of resources for these assessments and cleanups accomplishes many things. First, it protects our environment, specifically one of our most treasured but threatened resources, groundwater. Second, it creates jobs during this tough economy. And third, it fosters economic development by transforming brownfields into attractive opportunities for investment.”

Assessment and cleanup work is currently being conducted at seven sites statewide. The sites were chosen because each had leaks documented from federally regulated underground storage tanks and the responsible party is unknown or unable to pay. The properties and descriptions are below:

Schwartz Property – 1124 Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield: The site is the location of the former Charles A-1 gas station... Three underground storage tanks (USTs) and an abandoned building remain on the property. The site has no current tenant. The DEP performed an expedited site assessment and the site was found to contain subsurface petroleum contamination.

Monti Property – 680-690 East Main Street, Waterbury: The site is the location of the former HJ Carroll Company. Four USTs, used to store gasoline or bulk heating fuel for resale, were removed in 1988. Several buildings are currently unoccupied. DEP’s consultant completed site assessment work and found a large heating oil free-product plume. The DEP’s intention is to protect the nearby Mad River from being impacted by the free-product.

Renner Property – 666 East Main Street, Waterbury: The site is the location of a former gas station and is adjacent to the Monti Property. When the gasoline and diesel tanks were removed gasoline free-product was observed. The property is currently being used for car sales and repairs. The current owners are financially incapable of paying for any cleanup.

Pittman Property – 3054 Main Street, Hartford: The site is the location of a former gas station. The building is currently being used for car repairs (TDP Automotive). The DEP finished an assessment in July and commenced removal of four underground storage tanks (USTs) and 1,000 cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soil. The owner bought the property in foreclosure and was unaware that tanks were present.

Pitts Chapel Property – 672 Dixwell Avenue, New Haven: A local church purchased the property that had formerly been used as a gas station. Four gasoline USTs and one waste oil tank remain on the property and the building is vacant. The plan for the site entails building an energy-efficient senior center and employing laborers from the surrounding urban community to perform the construction.

Fuller Property – 142 Main Street, Terryville: The Fuller Property is known as the Mayfair Garage. In 2007, the DEP responded to the breakout of gasoline product along the banks of Pequabuck River adjacent to Mayfair Garage. The source was from the gasoline USTs and a cleanup ensued using Federal Coast Guard monies. In order to complete the extensive cleanup, the DEP is using Federal Stimulus funds.

Stratford Property – 2350 Stratford Avenue, Stratford: The property is the location of a former bulk heating fuel storage facility. There are currently eight USTs on the property some containing up to 30,000 gallons.

On February 17, 2009 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama. Since then, more than $3 billion in Recovery Act funding has come to Connecticut in the form of grants, loans and entitlement benefits. For more information on the ARRA in Connecticut, visit the following website: http://www.recovery.ct.gov/recovery/site/default.asp.